helms



Dec. 14, 1954 c. HELMS EI'AL Re. 23,907

TRANSPARENCY VIEWER Original Filed May 1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS LAURENCE (.HELI m 5 TRAVIS R. HELMS MARTIN BROWNEYE 2 3 fdgfiw Dec. 14, 1954 cAHEL s ErAL Re. 23,907

TRANSPARENCY VIEWER Original Filed lay l. 1950 2 Shoots-Shoo 2 wLAURENCE c. HELMS TBAVIS R. HELMS w ATTORNEY properly located lightingmeans, has other representations presented to best advantage.

stantially on the plane of line 33 of members 3, at its inner turnedbent into a short U-seetlon into each of which an elongated transparencyreceivlng fixture 4 1s remov- 23,901 TRANSPARENCY vmwnn Laurence C.Helms, Travis R. Helms, and Martin eye, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignorsto Helms Products, inva, Grand Rapids, Mich a corporation of MichiganClaims. (CI. 40-156) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets II] appears inthe original patent but forms no part of this reissue specifica- 'tion;matter printedin italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to a transparency viewer .of an especiallypractical, etfective, novel structure. A transparency carrying pictorialand other representations on thin material, stretched taut and supportedin front of the pictorial and With our invention, a framed picture isprovided, illuminated at the back with the light passing, eitherdirectly or by reflection, through the transparency, presenting thepicture far better than the ordinary picture or the like is presentedwhen merely framed and viewed from the front with only exterior lightingdirected against it.

An understanding of the invention and of the novel,

simple and very effective structure which we have produced may be hadfrom the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the transparency viewer with atransparency held therein, the back plate forming one major member ofthe structure being removed.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the back plate which is used to close theback of the transparency frame, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertii al seiction, sub- Fig. 4 is aperspective view of one of the clips 4 of which one is used at eachcorner of the transparency for mounting it in the frame and keeping itin taut condition, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged interior elevation, with parts brokenaway and shown in section for better disclosure, showing the manner inwhich the clips are used, one at each corner of the transparency andconnected to the frame.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the drawing.

The structure embodying our invention includes a back plate 1, generallyof rectangular form, made of fiat metal which, a short distance inwardfrom its end edges is pressed forwardly to make an elongated raisedsection 2 at the front side of the back, beyond which the plate 1continues in a short lip as shown in Fig. 3. The frame which is closedat its rear side by the back 1 has upper, lower and end members 3 ofgenerally are shape in cross section which, as hereafter described, havethe back 1 releasably latch connected thereto. Such frame members extendforwardly and inwardly in a curved arc and at their corners are miteredand welded or otherwise permanently secured together. Each of the framemembers at its rear edge portion has an inwardly turned lip to comeagainst the peripheral edge portions of the back plate 1 as shown inFig. 3. Each of'the said frame edge in front of the back, is reablyinserted, fixtures 4 being of U-shape in cross section and the inner legof each terminating in a return bent lip 4a as shown.

The "back, substantially midway between its upper and lower edges andatits front side, has a reflector 5 welded parts of the backplate 1,lighting tubes 6 are detachably mounted at their endsu inwsuitablesockets 7 to receive them, such tubes being one above the upperreflecting surface 5a and the other below the like lower reflectingsurface. The plate 1 back of each lighting tube 6 is blackened forcontrolling the reflection of light and such blackening isprogressively. lessened downward from the upper tube and upward from thelower tube away from such tubes as shown in Fig. 2.

The transparency 9 upon which the pictorial or other representation ismade is of rectangular outline and has dimensions such that its upperand lower and end edge portions are slidably received between the legsof the elongated fixtures 4. At the inner corners of the frame suchtransparency holding fixtures 4 are separated at their ends leaving thecorners of the transparency 9 exposed as shown in Fig. ,l Each of saidcorners is connected by a resilient clip, shown in Fig. 4, with the endportions of the two adjacent fixtures 4 at each corner of the frame. a

Each of said resilient clips is made from a length of resilient wire. Atone end there is an arm 10, integrally connected with which is a secondarm 11 substantially at right angles to it. The arm 11 is continued in ashort section 12 from which an arm 13 extends for a distance, the wirebeing then bent to make a terminal arm 14 located generally at rightanglesto the arm 13 and having a raised hump 15 between its ends, andwhich at its free end has a short finger 16 bent at right angles.

Each of these resilient attaching clips is mounted as shown in Fig. 5.The arms 10 and 11' are received in the channels formed by the lips 4aand the bodies of the respective fixtures 4 at a corner of the frame,the connecting bend between the arms 10 and 11 turning the corner asshown in Fig. 5. The short arm 12 extends outwardly and the terminalfinger 16 is inserted through an eye 17 fixed at the adjacent corner ofthe transparency 9. When thus attached the clip, which normally wouldoccupy the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 5, is strained andmoved to the full line position so that engagement may be made with theeye 17. Thus, with four of the clips, one at each corner of thetransparency, there is provided tightening forces upon the transparencyat all of the corners, the direction of the forces being outward fromthe approximate center of the transparency so that the transparency ismaintained in a taut condition. The raised section or hump 15 is madefor readily manual engagement to aid in inserting or withdrawing theterminal finger 16 from its associated eye 17.

In mounting the transparency in the frame it is laid flat against thereturn bent U portions surrounding the frameopening. The fixtures 4 arethen slipped over the respective edges of the transparency with theouter legs of the fixtures inserted into said U sections of the frame.The clips are then applied as described, and when in place they exert aninward pressure on the fixtures at their ends, holding them firmly inplace on the frame and straddling the edges of the transparency, and theclips also at the same time exert a tension on the transparencydiagonally outward from its approximate center so that it is held tautacross the frame opening under all con ditions of swelling or shrinking.To remove the transparency the clips are first taken off and then thefixtures 4 slid ofi from the edges andthe transparency is free, thusmaking it easy to change pictures from time to time.

The back, as shown in Fig. 3, when placed in position for example torenamed Deerfil, 1954 move or replace the lighting tubes 6 or for anyinspection or repair which may be needed.

The light from the tubes 6 passed directly therefrom through thetransparency and reflected light from the surfaces 521 and the back issubstantially uniform, the surfaces of decreasing undesirable intensityat the top and bottom, the transparency being lighted with a softillumination of general uniformity over its entire area.

The structure described is relatively simple toproduce at low cost. Thelight passage through the transparency is substantially even over thewhole area thereof. The invention embodied as described, in practicaluse, has proven exceptionally satisfactory. The claims appended definethe invention which is to be considered comprehensive of all forms ofstructure coming within their scope.

We claim:

1. An open frame having sides and ends, a flexible transparencyextending across the opening of said frame and overlapping the sides andends thereof, elongated fixture detachablyconnected to the frame, one ateach of the sides and ends of said opening and slidably embracing theedges of the transparency, and yieldingly resisting tension membersconnected to said transparency at corners thereof and also bearingagainst the end portions of adjacent fixtures at said corners, saidtension members being under strain deformation and having inherent forcetherefrom acting to pull said transparency outwardly at each corner andto press said fixtures inwardly.

2. An open frame having sides and ends, channels on said sides and endsadjacent and back of the frame opening, said channels opening outwardlyfrom said opening, a flexible transparency extending across said openingand overlapping the frame, a plurality of elongated fixtures, one ateach side and at each end of the opening embracing the edges of saidtransparency, having portions entering said channels and a plurality ofyieldingly resisting tension members detachably connected to thetransparency, one at each corner portion thereof, and also engaging endportions of two of said fixtures at each corner of the transparency,said tension members being strained from normal form and providing forceexerting means to pull said transparency outward at its corners anldpress said fixtures into connection with said channe s.

3. The structure containing the elements in combination defined in claim2, said tension members being of spring wire, each having an arm with afree end portion adapted to be inserted through said transparency at acorner portion thereof, and a second portion engageable with twoadjacent fixtures andacting thereon to move them in an inward direction.

4. In a mounting for a transparency or the like, having a frame with arectangular opening across which the transparency is adapted to beplaced. the improvement comprising, a plurality of elongated fixtures,one at each side and end of the frame opening and back thereof, eachhaving a channel received adjacent side and end portions of atransparency, means on said fixtures and means on said frame adjacentthe sides and ends of the opening having cooperating connection andengagement for holding said fixtures from disconnection with the framewhen moved inwardly, and resistingly yielding spring members, one ateach of adjacent ends of said fixtures, each having one end detachablyconnected to an adjacent corner portion of the transparency, and at itsopposite end portion engage with both end portions of two fixtures, saidspring members bein strained when thus connected to transmit an outwardpull to the transparency at said corner portions thereof, and move saidfixtures inwardly toward said opening.

5. In a mounting for a rectangular, flexible sheet member, having aframe surrounding a rectangular opening across which said sheet memberis to be placed, the improvement comprising. an elongated fixtureadjacent each side and end of said opening back of the frame, said frameat each side and end of said opening having a rearwardly and outwardlyturned lip, and each fixture having a substantially Z-cross section,including a channel, open at its inner side, a side of which enters thead acent 11p on the frame, and between the sides of said channels ofsaid fixtures the side and end portions of the sheet member arereceived, and each of said fixtures back of itssaid channel terminatingin a rearwardly and outwardly extending lip, and spring members eachdetachably connected at one end with a corner portion of said sheetmember, and engaging with and pressing inwardly under strain against theadjacent end portions of both fixtures at said corner of said sheet.

6. An open frame having sides and ends, a flexible transparencyextending across the opening of said frame and overlapping the inneredge portions of said sides and ends'of the frame, thin metal elongatedfixtures located a! the inner side of and connected to the frame, one ateach of the sides and ends of said opening, said fixtures covering theside and end edge portions of the trans- 'parency except at the corners.thereof, said transparency edge portions being disposed between theinner sides of said sides and ends of the frame and said fixtures, andmovable relative thereto, and yieldingly resisting tension membersconnected to said transparency, one at each corner thereof, bearingagainst the end portions of adjacent fixtures at said corners, saidtension members being under strain deformation and acting tocontinuously pull against said transparency at each corner in'an outwarddirection.

7. An open frame having sides and ends, a flexible transparency locatedat the inner side of said frame and across the opening thereof,overlapping at its edges the inner edge portions of said sides and endsof the. frame, thin metal elongated fixtures located at the inner sidesand adjacent the inner edge portions of said sides and ends of the framesecured thereto, covering the edge portions of said sides and ends ofthe transparency except at the corners thereof, and o yieldinglyresisting tension member operatively mounted on the frame and connected,one at each, corner of said transparency acting to yieldingly pullcontinuously outward upon said transparency or each of its corners.

' 8. An open frame having sides and ends, a flexible transparencylocated at the inner side of said frame and across the opening thereof,overlapping at its edges the inner edge portions of said sides and endsof the frame, thin metal elongated fixtures located at the inner sidesand adjacent the inner edge portions of said sides and ends of the framesecured thereto, covering the edge portions of said sides and ends ofthe transparency except at the corners thereof, and a yieldinglyresisting tension member connected, one at each corner of saidtransparency and bearing against the said fixtures at the end portionsthereof adjacent the corners of said transparency, said tension membersbeing under strain deformation and acting to yieldingly pullcontinuously outward upon said transparency at each of its corners.

9. An open frame having sides and ends, a flexible transparency locatedacross the opening of said frame at the inner side thereof, having edgeportions overlapping said sides and ends of the frame adjacent saidopcning thereof, thin metal elongated fixtures connected, one at theinner side of each side and end of the frame, connected thereto andclosely covering the edge portions of said transparency, said edgeportions of the transparency being disposed between the sides and endsof the frame and said fixtures, said fixtures at corners of thetransparency uncovering and exposing the corners of said transparency,and a yielding spring means generally in fixed relation to said frameconnected, one at each exposed corner of the transparency, actingcontinuously thereon to yieldingly pull on said transparency at eachcorner in an outward direction.

10. An open frame, a flexible transparency located across the opening ofsaid frame at the inner side thereof, having edge portions overlappingedge portions of the frame around and adjacent said opening, a pluralityof elongated fixtures of thin metal connected to the frame at its innersides adjacent and around the opening in the frame, said fixturessubstantially covering the edge portions of said transparency having endportions spaced from each other to thereby uncover and expose saidtransparency at selected spaced distances therearound, and a yieldingspring means connected to said transparency at each uncovered portionthereof, and operatively connected to the frame to act continuously onsaid transparency at a plurality of spaced points to pull upon thetransparency in an outward direction, and maintain the transparency inyielding taut condition.

(References on following page) 5 References Cited in the file of thispatent Number or the original patent. UNITED STA; ES PATENTS I 2,524,216Number Name Date 5 2,565,218

587,241 Seidel July 27, 1897 951,921 Spencer Mar. 15, 1910 1,061,659Brandt May 13, 1913 Number 1,475,977 West Dec. 4, 1923 22,990 1,613,933Castleton Ian. 11, 1927 10 581,088

6 Name Date Venzie Aug. 7, 1934 Leon Aug. 11, 1936 Weisman Oct. 3, 1950Freeborn Aug. 21, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct.8, 1912 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1946

